Protozoa reproduce through both asexual and sexual reproduction. The most common form of asexual reproduction is binary fission, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Multiple fission can also occur, where one cell divides into many daughter cells. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes, and can occur through processes like syngamy, conjugation, and automixis. Reproduction, both asexually and sexually, allows protozoa to multiply and form the base of the aquatic food chain.
Protozoa reproduce through both asexual and sexual reproduction. The most common form of asexual reproduction is binary fission, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Multiple fission can also occur, where one cell divides into many daughter cells. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes, and can occur through processes like syngamy, conjugation, and automixis. Reproduction, both asexually and sexually, allows protozoa to multiply and form the base of the aquatic food chain.
Protozoa reproduce through both asexual and sexual reproduction. The most common form of asexual reproduction is binary fission, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Multiple fission can also occur, where one cell divides into many daughter cells. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes, and can occur through processes like syngamy, conjugation, and automixis. Reproduction, both asexually and sexually, allows protozoa to multiply and form the base of the aquatic food chain.
Protozoa reproduce through both asexual and sexual reproduction. The most common form of asexual reproduction is binary fission, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Multiple fission can also occur, where one cell divides into many daughter cells. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of gametes, and can occur through processes like syngamy, conjugation, and automixis. Reproduction, both asexually and sexually, allows protozoa to multiply and form the base of the aquatic food chain.
INTRODUCTION: Protozoa represent the most primitive group of animal organisms. They are unicellular eukaryotic cell wall-less motile organisms and form a very large highly diverse group originating from several phylogenetic lines. There are about 20,000 living species and many fossils which are now extinct. The majority of protozoa are free-living organisms in aquatic habitats and soil. Some are parasitic and pathogenic. Others are symbiotic or commensal organisms, living in association with other organisms. Protozoa form an important link in the food chain of aquatic environments, both fresh water and marine. Many of them feed on other microorganisms, and they themselves are devoured by larger organisms.
REPRODUCTION IN PROTOZOA: Protozoa, like all other organisms, reproduce. The most common form of reproduction in protozoa is asexual binary fission. In other words, a single organism will divide into two equal organisms. A slight modification of this binary fission, called budding, is when one of the newly formed cells is smaller than the other. Many protozoa exhibit sexual reproduction in addition to the asexual forms of reproduction. This sexual reproduction can involve the production and fusion of gametes in processes similar to higher organisms.
ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PROTOZOA:
The mode of reproduction in which there is no union of gametes. In such a case, only one animal can produce new individuals. Protozoa usually reproduces asexually by binary fission and multiple fission.
1. BINARY FISSION The animal divides and two individuals are produced from one: a) The micronucleus divides into two by a simplified form of mitosis. b) The macronucleus divides into two by amitosis. c) The cytoplasm divides into two equal halves by a constriction. d) The daughter individuals can recon-struct the wanting structures which it does not obtain from the parent. Asymmetrical structures like gullet, peristome of Paramoecim cannot be equally shared by both the daugh-ter individuals. Binary fission is again of three types: Transverse fission. The animal divides transversely into two. Examples: Amoeba, Paramoecium, etc. Longitudinal fission. The animal splits into two along the long axis of the body. Examples: Euglena, Vorticella, etc. Oblique binary fission. The plane of fission is oblique. Examples: Dinoflagellata, Ceratium, Cochliodinium,. etc. 2. MULTIPLE FISSION:
Many individuals are produced from one at a time. Examples: Some Amoebae, Euglena, Polystomella, etc. a) The animal becomes encysted, the nucleus divides repeatedly and a large num-ber of minute daughter nuclei are produced. b) The cytoplasm fragments and a small bit of it surrounds each daughter nucleus and, thus, many minute animals are formed c) .Under favorable circumstances the cyst bursts and these small animals come out and grow to the adult stage. Multiple fission is common in sarcomastigophorans and apicomplexans. Following types of multiple fission are found in proto¬zoa:
a. Gamogony: Products are gametes. Examples: Monocytes.
b. Scizogony The resulting individuals are known as agametes or merozoites. Example: Plasmodium c. Sporogony: It occurs following sexual fusion. The products are surrounded by a cyst or a resistant covering and termed as spores. Motile spores are known as swarmer’s or swarmospores.
3. Plasmotomy: The multinucleate individual divides into many small multinucleate offspring’s by simple division of cytoplasm independent of nuclear division. The daughter individuals regain the normal size and the number of nuclei is restored by further nuclear division. 4. Budding: New individuals are produced by separa-tion of a portion of the cytoplasm of the parent organism with a daughter nucleus. It may be simple or multiple, exogenous or endogenous. Budding is common in suctorians. Examples: Noctiluca, Tokophrya, etc.
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PROTOZOA:
The modes of reproduction in which two gametes unite to form a new individual is known as sexual reproduction. The two units (male and female gametes) from two separate individuals unite by fusion of their cytoplasm, followed by the union of their nuclei. Most protists (protozoa) can continue to live, mul-tiplying asexually for prolonged periods and may undergo sexual reproduction only at irregular intervals. Different types of sexual reproduction in protozoans syngamy, conjugation, automyxis are important.
1. Syngamy or Sexual Fusion:
Syngamy is the complete and permanent union or fusion of two specialised protozoan individuals or gametes resulting in the for-mation of a fertilized cell or zygote or oospore. The nuclei of the gametes fuse to form the zygote nucleus or synkaryon. The zygotes develop into adult, either directly or through encystment and fission of various types.Depending upon the degree of differen-tiation of the fusing gametes syngamy may be of the following types:
a) Autogamy: The gametes derived from the same parent cell fuse. Examples: Actinophrys, Actinosphaerium, Paramoecium aurelia, etc. b) Paedogamy: The fusing individuals are young. Example: Actinophrys
c) Hologamy: The two mature individuals behave as gametes and fuse. Example: Copromonas
d) Merogamy: The uniting individuals are smaller than the ordinary vegetative individuals, called merogametes.
e) Isogamy: Union of the gametes of similar size and shape. The isogametes are produced by multiple or repeated binary fission. Isogamy has been reported in Foraminifera (Elphidium), Phytomonadina (Chlamydomonas, Copromonas) and Gregarinida (Monocystis).
f) Anisogamy: The two fusing gametes differ in size, shape and behaviour. The gametes are termed as heterogametes or anisogametes and their fusion is known as anisogamy or heterogamy. The formation of morphologically different gametes, is the first indication of sex differentiation in Protozoa.
2. Conjugation: The conjugation is the temporary union of two mating types of individuals of the same species to facilitate exchange of nuclear materials. They retain their distinct individuality and separate out after nuclear exchange. The pairing gametes are known as conjugants. of lost vigour, New nuclear combinations and new hereditary combinations arise. 3. Automixis: Automixis is the fusion of two gametic nuclei originating by the division of the single nucleus of an individual.
4. Plasmogamy: Two or more individuals may fuse by their cytoplasm to form a plasmodium and separate out unchanged with their distinct nuclei. This sexual phenomenon is known as Plasmogamy and occurs in certain Rhizopoda and Mycetozoa.
5. Regeneration: The regeneration and replacement of lost parts among free-living and few parasitic protists is widespread. A proper proportion of cytoplasm and nucleus can regenerate into an entire individual.
6. Parthenogenesis: The gametes which fail to fertilize start their development parthenogenetically. Examples: Actinophrys, Chlamydomonas, etc.
